N00b to Doctor Who

[Tomato]

So I've got a female friend who I've been hanging out with lately (we haven't gone out on a date or anything, but I'm considering asking her out when I see her tuesday) and one of the things I showed her (that she enjoyed quite a bit actually) was the bbc series "Sherlock." I told her it was made by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatis, who do writing on doctor who. She told me she's never seen it, despite how everyone raves about it.

I'm considering pulling up a few episodes of the series, but I'm at a loss on which to choose, particularly as an introduction... the obvious answers (Rose and The Eleventh Hour) are both ok, though admittedly I'd lean toward eleventh hour because amy>rose, but I'd really like to show some stuff with tennant also.

What're your thoughts on this (bearing in mind that this is someone who expressed concern that what she's heard about the series sounds "almost too crazy")

[martialstorm]

I hear you Tom, as much as I enjoy Journey's End, End of Time etc. for a first time who watcher I'd stick with self contained stories e.g.

End of the World (2nd Eccleston & Good Intro)
Blink (With Tennant Also by Moffatt)
The Lodger (Light comedy with no timeywimeyness)
Doctor's Wife (Not the first show I would choose, but a good second or third choice plus there's a bit of romance in it)

[Tomato]

I hear you Tom, as much as I enjoy Journey's End, End of Time etc. for a first time who watcher I'd stick with self contained stories e.g.

End of the World (2nd Eccleston & Good Intro)
Blink (With Tennant Also by Moffatt)
The Lodger (Light comedy with no timeywimeyness)
Doctor's Wife (Not the first show I would choose, but a good second or third choice plus there's a bit of romance in it)

Someone else I was talking to also brought up Blink, and I tend to agree that it's not only one of the better episodes, but one that I think would work well here. I'm thinking of doing "Smith and Jones" first though (with blink second), just because it's kind of an introduction to the Doctor (from Martha's perspective) and the closest thing Tennant ever got to something like that. I'm gonna find it and re-watch it today though, make sure it's not too out there (I remember it kind of being weird, but not "Love and Monsters" levels of weird)

[RTTingle]

How about the Library episodes with Rover Songs first appearance?

[Tomato]

As much as I like that one, I'm not sure it's the right fit... silence in the library has so much going on, with the shadows, river song, donna's subplot in the computer, the child computer brain, etc. etc. that it might be a bit... overwhelming for a new fan of the franchise.

We'll see how it goes though. If she gets into it I'll bring out some of the crazier episodes. One I'd like to do is "Dalek," since it does an ok job of establishing who the daleks are compared to the doctor. Despite their overuse (they play a somewhat pivotal role in what, all but two season finales so far? not counting the episodes mid-season?) the daleks do play a huge role in the series.

[Podmark]

You know I've always wanted to get into Dr Who, but just never get around to it.

[JeyNyce]

For a minute I thought the topic was about me 

[Reepicheep]

Blink was the first one I watched properly, and it sold me on the series totally. Its a great standalone episode.

You should try and stick to just one Doctor to begin with though - either Tennant or Eccleston - so that she can feel attached to one and feel devastated when they transform. Like you're meant to.

[JeyNyce]

From what you guys told me when I asked about Doctor Who, start with season 9 and work from there.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Well, you'll have to get him a time machine then, seeing as we're about to start season 7.

[JeyNyce]

Well, you'll have to get him a time machine then, seeing as we're about to start season 7.

That's the n00b-ness in me coming out.  It was the 9th actor who played Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston.  Start watching when he plays the Doctor.

[Tomato]

Not a good plan for me. I feel like a lot of Davis' early work in who was pretty shoddy in general, and I detest anything and everything to do with rose tyler (how she managed to become top companion... UGH). Eccleston was about all that made the first season watchable for me, and this is someone I'm trying to IMPRESS with the show.

We didn't get around to it today (she had to go see someone around 2pm, and we spent most of the day before that watching sherlock episodes) but I still think "Smith and Jones"/"Blink" is the best route to go with at this point.

[Talavar]

I'm going to throw my opinion behind the Eleventh Hour.  It's an easier entry point than a random (though good) episode, and the Steven Moffat/Matt Smith years have had much stronger arcs than the Russel Davis years.

[BWPS]

I detest anything and everything to do with rose tyler (how she managed to become top companion... UGH).

WHAAA   AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAT?

YOU ARE OUT OF LINE SIR!

[Tomato]

... Can someone explain to him why I dislike the walking avatar of the dumb blonde cliche, who the doctor magically falls in love with despite her complete lack of a personality, especially in light of later companions who could actually stand on their own two feet without him. Explain to him why I take it as a personal offense that such a wishy washy character won over companions who showed not only greater intelligence in later stories, but also greater strength of character and moral integrity.

Don't get me wrong, some of her later stuff was ok, but compared to Sarah Jane Smith, Amy Pond, and even Martha Jones/Donna Noble (who were both flawed but proved themselves to be relatively intelligent and capable people without the doctor) she just doesn't deserve the respect she gets.

[BWPS]

Bah, I don't even watch "Doctor Who." I watch "Super-Pretty Girl who Can't Say Words Right"

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Rose certainly wasn't that great of a companion compared to the others--they basically took a pop star and slapped her into the role so they could have two famous people for the first season--but I don't find her all that offensive.  I do prefer all of the later ones though, with the possible exception of Rory who with a few possible exceptions has even less personality, but works well paired up with Amy.